Chris Scott Biography

Chris Scott is set to become the longest-serving coach in Geelong's history when he serves as head coach of the Cats for the 305th time this week.

Chris Scott is set to become Geelong's longest-serving coach, having signed with the club for a further two years till the end of 2024.

"I don't think there's much doubt that Chris is one of the best coaches in our game and we're really pleased to have him here in Geelong," Cats chief executive Steve Hocking said.

"We've seen an almost complete turnover in our list over the last decade without access to the top of the draft and we've remained competitive year in, year out."

Geelong coach Chris Scott is given a suspended $10,000 fine by the AFL for a heated quarter-time confrontation with Brisbane players.

Scott exchanged words with Brisbane players at the first break after an incident between Geelong speedster Gary Rohan and Lion Lachie Neale. Rohan later received a two-match ban for his high shot on Neale.

Geelong coach Chris Scott will work without pay following the suspension of the 2020 AFL season due to increasing concerns over COVID-19.

Scott has informed the Cats' executive that he will relinquish his salary while the club's assistant coaches and development coaches are stood down.

Cat fans aren't happy with coach Chris Scott.

After seeing their side dumped from the finals by a red-hot Melbourne, just 40 per cent approved of Scott's performance when giving their season verdict in an AFL.com.au survey.

It's the lowest approval rating in two years for Scott, whose record as coach is polarising.

Geelong coach Chris Scott signs a long-term contract extension with the Cats that will tie him to the club until the end of the 2022 season.

"It's a commitment to the path we're on as a group, and it's clearly not just me, it's our coaching group as well, we've got some pretty good stability there," Scott told Fox Footy's AFL 360.

"We have been through a period over the last probably seven to eight years, transitioning our list, trying to rebuild a little bit on the run. It's probably a reflection that we still think there's a fair way to go on the journey we're on."

Cats coach Chris Scott throws his support behind Swans counterpart John Longmire in being critical of Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson meeting with AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan to discuss aspects of the game following Hawthorn's loss to Sydney.

"There's a number of people you would speak to before you spoke to Gill about specific issues in a game," Scott said.

"To do it in a public place, I'd probably support 'Horse' (Longmire) on this one, I'm not sure it was an appropriate look."

Cats coach Chris Scott calls for match-day reporting to be scrapped in the wake of Jordan Murdoch being cited for a high bump on Swan Isaac Heeney.

Murdoch went into the book on the stroke of half-time as he braced for contact and collected Heeney with his hip as they approached a loose ball.

Heeney suffered no ill-effects and played out the game despite also copping a knee to his lower back/hip region in the third term.

"To put the pressure on umpires to feel like they have to intervene in split-second moments like that is really unfair on them," Scott said.

"To report him and affect him for the next half of the game, I think makes a bad decision even worse."

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson says he is willing to be proven wrong in the debate on players shrugging their shoulders to create head-high contact for a free kick.

Cats coach Chris Scott had taken offence to Clarkson's suggestion that Joel Selwood was risking concussion with this tactic.

"It's worthwhile putting these things up for debate and discussion if you think they are taking you down a path that could be dangerous for the game in the future," Clarkson said.

"I'm happy to be beaten on it (the issue) - you don't have to win them all in this game."

Cats coach Chris Scott fires back at Hawthorn counterpart Alastair Clarkson after the latter suggested Joel Selwood's habit of shrugging the shoulders to draw free kicks could lead to more instances of concussion.

"I think one needs to be really careful not to conflate shrugging a tackle with concussion, especially if you're using alternative facts to support your argument," Scott said.

"I think any reasonable person would say that Joel was more likely to suffer a concussion from a knee in the head than shrugging a tackle around the shoulder."

Geelong premiership coach Chris Scott will coach Australia against Ireland later this year with his brother, North Melbourne's Brad Scott, and Fremantle's Ross Lyon alongside him as assistants.

"Having experienced this series as both a player and as a member of the coaching staff, I know first-hand how much this means to the people involved," Scott said.

"To be able to represent Australia and to grow the appeal of the game with the best players coming together, is a tremendous honour."

Saints coach Alan Richardson calls for an overhaul of the deliberate rushed behind rule in the wake of a contentious call.

The AFL ticked off the decision to penalise Richmond defender Jayden Short for a deliberate rushed behind just before half-time of the Dreamtime at the 'G clash.

With 40 seconds remaining in the second term, Essendon third-gamer James Stewart attempted to kick a long-range goal by bombing the ball inside a vacant forward 50.

The rolling ball stopped just a couple of metres short in the goalsquare, as Tiger Jayden Short led Bomber Josh Green in a thrilling foot race.

Short slid forward and pushed the loose ball over the line – unaware Green had given up the chase – and was penalised by umpire Curtis Deboy for a deliberate rushed behind.

Green converted the resultant free kick from point-blank range, gifting the Bombers a four-point lead at half-time.

When asked about the controversial call, Richardson said he would be in favour of penalising a player who deliberately rushed the ball over, irrespective of pressure.

"In the spirit of our game where we didn't like blokes deliberately ducking and playing for free kicks," Richardson said on Fox Footy.

"So I would take any of the grey out and adjudicate that … like you do on the boundary line. And that is, if you rush it, that's deliberate.

"Now, the defender, he has no doubt. So even if Green is closing really aggressively and not backing off and being smart, you're going to keep it alive because you know that – even if it's only a foot – you can't rush it over."

Geelong coach Chris Scott was not fully sold on Richardson's idea.

"But if we did that, the penalty is too heavy, isn't it?" Scott replied.

"If we said, 'Let's make it black and white and if you rush it, it's deliberate and the interpretation goes out of it', then surely it should be a bounce 15m out."

Geelong coach Chris Scott has called out Gold Coast counterpart Rodney Eade for seeking AFL clarification on umpiring decisions, saying the move could have benefits for the Suns this week.

Eade put in a call to umpires coach Hayden Kennedy on Tuesday to discuss two decisions in his team's loss to North Melbourne, also complaining about the umpiring in his post-match press conference last Saturday night.

Speaking as the Cats flew out of Melbourne on Friday to play Gold Coast, Scott said it was a move the Suns had benefited from against his team last year, when Eade complained about the treatment of his star forward Tom Lynch.

"I think sometimes saying you've rung the umpires and got some clarification around some rules can have a benefit," Scott said.

"Last year we played Gold Coast and Rodney Eade had made some comments about Tom Lynch being manhandled and he (Lynch) got two dubious free kicks early in the game.

"So sometimes it works, I notice he's done it again."

Geelong extends coach Chris Scott's contract until the end of 2019.

"Chris has overseen the team through a period of significant regeneration, and we set him a difficult task from the very beginning," Cats CEO Brian Cook said.

"We asked that he embrace the challenges that a list overhaul would bring while at the same time continuing to challenge for success at or near the top of the ladder. That Chris and the football department have been able to achieve both goals is a credit to everyone involved."

Cats coach Chris Scott the nomination process to decide which players are allowed to contest a ruck situation is open to being exploited.

"Kind of whispering to the umpire 'I'm the ruckman' and no one else knowing, is a farce. We've got to find a way to fix that," Scott said.

Geelong coach Chris Scott says his two-year contract extension is all but done and has pledged his committment to the club until 2019 and beyond.

"The actual signing of the papers is kind of irrelevant to the in-principle agreement. That's been the case for at least six months in my view," Scott said.

"The club's committed to me and I'm absolutely committed to them."

Geelong coach Chris Scott is back at the club following the tragic death of his younger brother Ben.

The Cats' mentor returned to work last week after taking compassionate leave in November.

"It is good, he's back at training now, and it was good for him to have some time away, to freshen up and to look after himself,” Cats skipper Joel Selwood told News Corp.

"It's hard in this game to sometimes find that time and we were able to give that to him and I think he really respected that."

Geelong has given coach Chris Scott as much time as he needs before returning to pre-season training as he grieves the tragic death of his young brother, Ben.

Senior coaches Chris and North Melbourne's Brad Scott were left devastated by the death of their 37-year-old brother, who died of anaphylactic shock due to an unusual nut allergy in November.

"He’s going like any brother who has lost a brother," Cats CEO Brian Cook Cook said.

"He’s getting over it and it will take time. People get scarred with these things. He’ll get over it in his own way and in his own time."

Chris Scott says he said nothing untoward to Hamish Hartlett but accepts that the exchange was a bad look for the game.

Scott said that AFL football operations boss Mark Evans had been in touch for an informal chat about his interaction with the Power onballer, as a heated quarter-time melee went on around them at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

"There is a level of contrition there because I accept there is a perception that it is a bad look," Scott said.

"Often the perception doesn't represent the reality, which is the case in this situation."

Hartlett backed Scott's version of events on Adelaide radio on Wednesday.

"There was a bit going on and emotions were running pretty high so I just said to worry about your own mob," Hartlett told Triple M.

"Which he ended up doing and doing it pretty well by the looks of things.

"(But) he was definitely saying to the umpires that it had gone on for too long and they had to take control of the situation."

Geelong coach Chris Scott says it's time to move on from focusing on Geelong's glory years.

"We're not in the habit of talking about what we used to be," he said.

"I'm sick to death of hearing what Geelong used to be. We're focused on what we are now, what we need to bring this week and what we're going to be like later in the season.

"I don't care what happened in previous years or who Geelong used to be, I care about who we're going to be moving forward."

Geelong coach Chris Scott has taken time out from his USA holiday to see what coaching skills he can garner from Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown and his deputies.

Geelong coach Chris Scott has officially signed a contract extension with the Cats that will tie him to the club until the end of the 2017 season.

"I'm really committed to Geelong long-term, and this just formalises that," Scott said.

"I think the club is happy and I'm certainly happy with the situation. This is a great place to be and I enjoy working with our players, coaches and staff."

Geelong coach Chris Scott says free agency should be axed as an aid to equalisation.

"The AFL is working really hard with the clubs and the stakeholders to equalise the competition and give everyone a fair a chance, and I think free agency flies squarely in the face of that," Scott said.

"And I also think there's a little bit of a spin-off in that we get these distasteful commentaries around certain players and we get speculation across the competition."

Geelong coach Chris Scott has been confirmed as Alastair Clarkson's second assistant for the International Rules series in November.

Scott, who led the Cats to the 2011 premiership, joins Fremantle coach Ross Lyon as the two assistants to Clarkson.

"Chris has done a superb job since taking over as the coach of the Geelong Cats, progressing deep into the finals every season since 2011 while introducing a new breed of young players to keep the club at the top of the ladder," AFL general manager of football operations Mark Evans said.

"A coaching panel of Alastair, Ross and Chris brings together some of our leading coaching minds and we are delighted that each has committed to be part of this year's series."

As one of 10 inductees into the Lions Hall of Fame, former Brisbane premiership player and current Geelong coach Chris Scott offers some words of advice to the struggling Lions.

"You have a tendency to look at the premiership years and dwell on the really good times, but I spend more time reflecting on the really tough times when people thought we were so far away it wasn't funny," Scott said.

"Even the Brisbane players today, I guarantee you, if you do get success in the future, it will be so much better to have started from the beginning when things were really tough."

Jack Ziebell is handed a three-match suspension for a bump on Crow Jarryd Lyons leading Geelong and Sydney coaches Chris Scott and John Longmire to question the future of the bump.

"I haven't really wasted too much time thinking about it (the Ziebell ban), and I think that's the approach that most people should take to the match review panel," Scott said.

"If you try to work it out you'll just tear your hair out and end up very confused and frustrated. They are so inconsistent that any sort of predictions, when it comes to the Match Review Panel, are a waste of time."

"The hard thing from Jack's incident is it looked like he went in to smother. It's very difficult in that situation," Longmire said.

"But I think it's getting to the stage where the bump, obviously you do it at your own risk.

"You're not quite sure what the outcome will be, you're not quite sure what the other player will do, so you're better off maybe putting it in the kit bag and trying to tackle or put some pressure on."

Chris Scott will remain at the helm of Geelong until at least the end of 2015 after signing a new deal.

We're very confident in Chris taking our club forward," Cats chief Brian Cook said.

"We believe he is the man to see us through any transition of list management and, at the same time, getting the best out of our squad this year."

Cameron Ling says his only regret about retiring is leaving after just one season under coach Chris Scott.

"The only tiniest regret I have is I would have liked a couple more years with Scotty, just to work with him longer," Ling said.

"He's just a really good person, a really good coach who analyses the game incredibly well and motivates players really well.

"I consider myself a very, very lucky person to have been able to have [played under] two tactical coaches. I loved my time with Bomber and I loved the 12 months with Scotty as well."

Geelong coach Chris Scott is excited about his first game as a senior coach but admits he is heading into the unknown.

"I am excited and there's a little bit of trepidation as well," he said.

"There's not a lot more we can do to get prepared. In terms of my performance, we're heading into the unknown a little bit, but I'm leaning more towards the excited level than the nervous."

Chris Scott, twin brother of North Melbourne coach Brad Scott, is now in charge at Geelong after accepting a deal to coach the Cats for the next three years.

Chris Scott says he understands the expectations of success in his role as new head coach of Geelong.

"I'm a young coach, I have a lot to learn, I hope I never stop learning, but there are a lot of expectations on the Geelong Football Club," he said.

"This club is in a position to contend next year. All Geelong people should expect success this year, and into the future."

Chris Scott is set to be named the new coach of Geelong in a major surprise for the football world.